This invention concerns apparatus for handling relatively heavy objects and relates more particularly to a manually operable apparatus of a hand-truck nature adapted to lift and transport relatively heavy cargo objects.
Hand-trucks are in widespread use for the manual lifting and transporting of heavy objects such as drums, barrels, logs, spools, bales, boxes, rocks, bagged products, etc. The hand-truck may in general be characterized as having an upright handle portion, a pair of wheels symmetrically disposed about the base of the handle portion, and a lifting extension affixed to the base of the handle portion, and extending forwardly at an angle thereto. In use, an object is caused to be placed above the lifting extension while the handle portion is in its most erect position. The handle portion is then tilted downwardly and rearwardly in pivotal motion about said wheels. Such action causes the object to be lifted onto said lifting extension and cradled in the region of said angle, thereby placing the entire weight of the hand-truck and cradled object upon said wheels, whereupon the hand-truck and its cargo can be easily pushed or pulled to a desired location.
In its downward motion, the handle portion functions as a lever acting about the axis of the wheels as a fulcrum. The length of the lifting extension and the angle of attachment to the handle portion are further determinants of the effectiveness of the handle portion as a lifting lever. The use of various types of accessory hook devices has been disclosed for preventing the cargo from falling off the hand-truck during movement thereof. Such hook devices are generally attached to the handle portion and require separate setting operations to grip and then release the cradled cargo. The hook devices generally do not assist in lifting an object onto the hand-truck, and the hand-trucks are not generally designed to raise the cargo a significant height above the ground.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a hand-truck equipped with securing means adapted to hold an object carried by said hand-truck.
It is a further object to provide a hand-truck of the aforesaid nature wherein said securing means automatically engages and releases an object carried by said hand-truck.
It is another object of this invention to provide a hand-truck of the aforesaid nature having securing means which aids in the lifting of an object onto said hand-truck.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a hand-truck of the aforesaid nature capable of lifting the cargo a significant height above ground level.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.